Shoe protector



1948- A. N. SIDNAM ET AL 2,447,284

' SHOE PROTECTOR Filed. 00t.- 12, 1946 INVENTORS. ALAN N. SIDNA /4 BROU N BOLT BY THOMAS c. NEARY v a unm THE/E ATTORNEYS.

- coats, hats. hoods and Patented Aug. 17,1948

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE SHOE PMTECTOB Alan N. Sidnam, New York, Conn., and

New Canaan, New York, N. Y.

N. Y., Brown Bolt, Thomas C. New,

a claims- (Cl. 30 -12) This invention relates to a protective device to be worn over the shoes and it relates particularly to a protector for footwear and hosiery.

Since the advent of the pliable and relatively inexpensive plastic films, it has been common to make various types of rainwear, such as rainthe like from such matebecause they canbe folded into a small thereby making them convenient to rial, package.

carry. Y

The present invention has as its principal object the provision of an inexpensive and lightweight covering for footwear or overshoe which can be carried conveniently for emergency use. In accordance with the present invention, we have provided a pouch-like member formed of a thin film of plastic material, such as, for example, a vinyl resin, or othersimilar pliable and waterproof material. The pouch-like member, in the preferred form of the invention, has an open top, into which the shoe can be inserted and an inclined bottom which is adapted to be disposed under the sole and shank portion of the shoe.

The end of the pouch-like member does not fit thetoe of the shoe closely but it'is constructed so that it can be drawn down tightly over the toe of the shoe by means of. a draw-string passing through a hem or loop around the open edge of the member.

The opposite end of the may be provided with an upwardly extending flap which is adapted to cover the back of the ankle and thereby protect the hosiery and the back of the shoe from splattering.

The bottom of the pouch may be provided with an opening through which the heel of the shoe extends. Also, the shoe protector may be provided with a thin strip of leather or other material forming the tread portion that comes in contact with the ground. This tread portion reinforces the thin material from which the protector is made and greatly increases its life.

Inasmuch as the protector is formed of thin and pliable material, a pair of such protectors may be readily folded into a small package and carried in the handbag or pocket so that it is available for use in emergencies;

For a better understanding of the present invention. reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of one form pouch-like member of shoe protector embodying the invention, ap-- plied over the shoe and to the foot and ankle of awearer;

2 Figure 2 is a view looking toward the bottom of the shoe with the protector applied thereto;

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of the protector removed from the shoe. 7

The form of the invention chosen for purposes of illustration is designed to cooperate with and flt over a high-heeled slipper, stood that the protector may be modified for use with low-heeled or flat-heeled slippers or shoes, platform or-wedge-type shoes or for any other desired type of footwear.

The shoe protector ll preferably is a transparent plastic material such as or the like although it may also be translucent, opaque or colored resinous or rubbery materials. The shoe protector III is of a generally pouch-like form having a substantially straight upper edge portion ll extending around the open top of the protector, a front end portion l2 arranged at substantially a right angle to the upper edge portion Ii and an inclined lower edge or bottom portion II which is adapted to flt under the sole and shank of the slipper S.

The junction of the end portion l2 and the bottom ll of the protector II may be rounded as illustrated in order to conform generally to the contour of the toe of the slipper S.

A flap i5 projects upwardly from the rear of the upper edge H and is adapted to be positioned around the ankle in order to protect the back of the hosiery, and the pouch is completed by an end portion Ii that covers the heel of the shoe S.

Thebottom ll of the pouch-like member III is provided with an opening ll of such dimensions as to receive the heel of the slipper so that the, heel may extend downwardly in contact with the ground without having the sheath interposed between the heel and the ground.

The above described protector i I may be formed of two sheets or blanks IDA and IGB of the abovementioned plastic material, which are joined at their edges by means of the seam it which extends from the edge of H down along the edges l2 and H and along the bottom l3, terminating at the inner edge of the opening l'l. Another seam l9 extends from the outer edge of the opening II to the upper edge of the flap IS. The seams l8 and I! may be formed by cementing the edges of the blanks lllAand IOB together with a suitable adhesive or by sealing them with heat and pressure when the blanks are made of resins.

The above-described any shoe perfectly, as it formed of vinyl resin formed of thermo-plastic elastic material 23 around the accommodate heels or various of rubber or other opening so as to width.

The'wear-resisting properties Of the protector ll may be improved by securing a thin strip or piece of wear-resisting material 24, such as is susceptible to considerable modification in the type of material used in its manufacture, and also in its design and shape. Thus, the flap l5 can be provided with suitable ornamentation, for example, its

1. A shoe and hosiery protector comprising a pouch-like member having an open top portion.

pouch-like shoe.

2. A shoe and hosiery protector comprising a portion for securing said member around said shoe.

3. A shoe and hosiery protector comprising a member around said shoe.

- ALAN N. SIDNAM.

BROWN BQLTE. THOMAS C. NEARY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,717,690 Ihnen June 18, 1929 FQREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 20352 Great Britain -L 1914 247,019 Great Britain Feb. 11, 1926 

